1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to source devices and methods for controlling the source devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usage record aggregation servers in general make inquiries to devices that are to use services about records of usage of the services in the devices. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H04-150340 discloses such a device. Recently, there has been an increasing number of multifunction devices (service providing devices) having functions of copying, scanning, faxing, etc., which allow other multifunction devices (service receiving devices) to access their functions such as a fax transmission function and a data format conversion function. Hereinafter, software realizing such a function is referred to as a service.
In other words, the service receiving devices that do not have certain services are allowed to utilize the services by the service providing devices.
However, if a service providing device provides services to many service receiving devices, a usage record aggregation server has to collect usage records from many devices, which requires considerable time.
Therefore, it is desirable that records of service usage in service receiving devices be temporarily stored in a service providing device. This allows a usage record aggregation service to collect the service usage records by simply making an inquiry to the service providing device for the records.